Holding Steady
Let's recap: when I last left you, I had four planets (okay, technically 3 planets and an asteroid) and a cashflow problem. I focused on research (as I usually do), which left me with fewer ships (not much of a problem early game) but some helpful benefits. But, for some reason my economy isn't keeping up - I have plent of crystal and metal (the other two resources), but not enough credits, which is making it harder and harder to build ships that are sure to become increasingly necessary. The overspending is wreaking economy in a very "art-imitates-life" sort of way. What to do?
I decide to stop my expansion and let my money grow higher (it comes in every few seconds), though this is a dangerous move. My scouts have discovered that at least two other enemies exist in my solar system, and they seem to be doing better than me, which spells trouble... Then, it dawned on me.
Each planet can have several features upgraded; allowing you, for example, to build more buildings in it's gravity well, among other things. One of these upgrades involves the planet's infrastructure. I check it and my question is answered - without upgraded infrastructure, I'm actually losing money on my newly colonized planets; it's a "new colony" credit bleed. Worse, the bleed is doing its designed job: my early expansions are costing me so much money that it, coupled with my terrible memory, have left me too poor to fix it. I decide I need to use the Black Market.
The black market in SoaSE is pretty simple. If you want a resource, you can pay for it on the black market and get it instantly (incurring an obvious credit loss). On the flipside, if you're like me and need credits, you can sell any crystal or metal surpluses for money. Throughout the game, supply and demand will fluctuate the the cost of doing this (for example, moving from 10-metal-for-100-credits to 10-metal-for-225-credits if everyone wants metal)... But for now, it's more viable than sitting for the next hour.
Using the black market, I sell my surplus of metal to come up with the credits to purchase the infrastructure upgrades. I'm suddenly making money again.
Okay, I’ve paid off the infrastructure stuff, but I’m pretty much broke, as the upgrades aren't cheap and I have to do it for each of the four planets.… So I’m still sitting a bit. Once I have enough credits, I’m going to get some more ships, do a bit of research, and invade an ice planet. At the same time.
After some waiting, I’m now building at capacity, trying to pump out as many ships as possible. I’m taking a chance and leaving my planets pretty much unguarded so that my entire fleet hits the ice planet… I need to keep expanding before my enemies make it too difficult.
My fleet stands in formation, preparing to invade the ice planet.
The ice planet is well defended (something like six ships, all stronger than mine), but Creampuff is holding up well and has scored two kills. She’s leveled up, and now has a bomber squadron along for the ride.
Creampuff attacks the enemy fleet! In the bottom picture, you see Creampuff and the rest of my fleet, which is marked with the blue symbol pointing up (like ^).
And this is the fate that befalls my enemies.
I neglected my economy during the battle, so at its end (which involved colonizing the ice planet), I had a nice sum of money. I spent it on research buildings and other stuff… But only one ship. I’m asking to be invaded, aren’t I?
No invasion yet, though a scout ship did take the forever-long journey to my homeworld. Research is working well, as I now have the plans to make the Illuminator long-range frigate, which will soon be the main type of vessel in my fleet. After, I plan to make a loop and attack an occupied asteroid and then swoop back once my next Capital ship is built. Should be excellent.
Research has also afforded me the power to travel between suns, and a scout ship has just arrived at a new solar system… But so has an enemy ship. Worrying. Either way, my knowledge of the universe is on the up-and-up.
Arrival in a new solar system...
The Known Universe
I'm planning a major invasion: Operation Loop-de-loop. If you refer to the image below while you read this, you'll find yourself easily seeing my master plan and its benefits. My ships will leave from the asteroid Liia (it's sorta hard to see, but it's superimposed over the ice planet) to the pile of space junk marked 1. You'll notice the number is white - that's because it's uncapturable, being a bunch of junk. It serves as a staging area. My ships will regroup and then capture 2, a terran planet. I'll leave half or so of my fleet there, and construct some defenses near the green Xs. I'll regroup for just a bit and then circle back to 3, capture it, and then four. Finally, my remaining ships will return to Liia, mission completed. The red & white symbol means there's an enemy faction present on the asteroid, which leads me to believe that the terran world is their homeworld. I'm ready to see it die. Painfully, at that.
My next capital ship is a Progenitor-class Mothership, which will help me colonize my planets during Operation Loop-de-loop. Thanks to your support, Clairnetman, I'm naming it The Game. And I do not plan on losing it.
The Game before her name change.
I close out this entry as my ships prepare for their first jump from the space junk into capturable territory as part of Operation Loop-de-loop. Wish me luck… And tune in next time
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